Quantum Characterization, Calibration, and Control (QC3)

The Department of the Army Materiel Command Army Contracting Command Aberdeen Proving Ground, through the DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory-Army Research Office (ARL-ARO) in partnership with the Laboratory for Physical Sciences (LPS), is soliciting research proposals for the Quantum Characterization, Calibration, and Control (QC3) program. This four-year research initiative seeks to advance quantum computing capabilities across three primary areas: characterization of qubit operation performance in multi-qubit circuits and error-model extraction, calibration of multi-qubit circuits for high-performance operations near fault-tolerance thresholds, and control techniques for multi-qubit circuits operating at fault-tolerant thresholds. The program specifically targets improvements in quantum computation efficiency and accuracy for qubit arrays in the 10s-100s scale for early fault-tolerant quantum computing applications. Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit entities, with proposals encouraged from Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions. White papers were due by 4:00 PM Eastern Time on May 30, 2025, and full proposals are due by 4:00 PM Eastern Time on August 26, 2025. The solicitation emphasizes the need for experimental demonstrations of proposed techniques and detailed cost substantiation.

This opportunity does not utilize any set-aside designations and is open to competition among all eligible entity types. The anticipated award funding ranges from $500,000 to $2.5 million in the first year, with reduced funding levels expected in subsequent years of the four-year program duration. Multiple awards are anticipated under this Broad Agency Announcement, allowing for diverse research approaches across the three topic areas. The research focus specifically addresses quantum computing systems with 10s to 100s of qubits, representing the scale necessary for early fault-tolerant quantum computing applications. Proposers are expected to provide experimental validation of their methodologies and demonstrate practical applications of their characterization, calibration, and control techniques. The program falls under NAICS code 541715 for Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences, reflecting the advanced scientific nature of the quantum computing research being solicited.